�þ�����Ƶ

Building Alaska’s energy future, one student at a time

By Julie Engelhardt and George Reising
August 21, 2026

The 2026 Alaska summer program in Anchorage and Fairbanks brought together high school students from rural and urban Alaska to explore energy solutions for their communities. Their diverse perspectives created opportunities to compare local energy challenges, dependencies and visions for the future.

With “Energy, Cybersecurity and Storytelling” as its theme, the program explored how energy shapes daily life in Alaska, particularly in rural communities that operate as microgrids — localized energy systems that generate and distribute their own electricity rather than relying on the Railbelt grid.

Through field experiences and conversations with energy professionals, students examined the challenges of diesel dependence, from rising fuel costs to opportunities created by renewable energy technologies. They learned how solar, hydropower and wind systems are adapted for Alaska’s unique environments while working alongside Alaska Center for Energy and Power staff to explore dispatchable loads and other strategies that help communities maximize renewable energy resources. Dispatchable loads, such as thermal heating, are ways to redirect and remotely control excess renewable energy towards devices that use electricity when needed.

“I learned that Chevak actually uses windmills already,” said Trisha Francis, a sophomore from Chevak. “We have windmills in our community that produce energy as part of a successful wind-diesel hybrid system. We can use more windmills in the future.”

A highlight of the program was learning how Indigenous knowledge and community values can guide energy decisions. AlexAnna Salmon, president of the Igiugig Village Council, shared how her community developed a salmon-conscious hydropower solution through RivGen technology.

“When I started working on this project, I didn’t know much about energy,” she told students. “I cared about the salmon and wanted to help with the sustainability of my community.”

Students then applied what they learned by creating 3D maps of their communities, highlighting key infrastructure, existing energy systems and their visions for the future. They presented their projects at the Anchorage Museum and UAF, which gave them an opportunity to communicate their ideas and see themselves as problem-solvers and future leaders in Alaska’s energy landscape.

For George Reising, lead curriculum developer with ACEP, that emphasis on applying technical knowledge to local challenges is what makes the program distinctive.

“The unique value in our methodology is teaching students to use that knowledge to improve life in their communities,” Reising said. “What is more pressing and relevant to all Alaskans than energy?”

The program’s impact will continue after students return home. One participant from Cordova plans to share what they learned with the Cordova Electric Cooperative and present to members of their local T3 club who were unable to attend.

By connecting energy education with storytelling and place, students demonstrated that Alaska’s energy future is about more than technology. Through their projects and presentations, they showed how local knowledge, community values and the next generation of leaders will shape that future.

The 2026 T3 summer program was made possible with funding from the initiative, ACEP, the program, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Facilities, and with support from the .

--

Julie Engelhardt is the storyteller and George Reising is the lead curriculum developer at the Alaska Center for Energy and Power.